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Allegations against the former SNP leader - which he strongly denies - were made a year ago.

But Scotland's most senior civil servant, Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans, today accepted the investigation of two complaints made was "procedurally flawed".

Speaking in Edinburgh today, Mr Salmond said the process was "unfair, unlawful and tainted by bias" and he was "not guilty of any criminality".

He said the Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Government "should consider her position and take appropriate action".

He said the Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Government "should consider her position and take appropriate action" (Image: PA)

He added he was "glad to have won and sad it's been necessary", and said surplus crowdfunded legal funds will now be donated to good causes.

Mr Salmond told journalists: "Because the process has been agreed as unlawful, unfair and tainted by apparent bias, the Scottish government have had to concede on the case and on the expenses to the maximum extent.

"That is going to raise a cost to the public purse of many many hundreds of thousands of pounds.

"All of this was unnecessary."

(Image: PA)

Ms Evans said lawyers for both sides had "informed the Court of Session that his action has been settled and the court has approved that settlement".

Contact between the investigating officer and the two complainers around the time the allegations were made in January 2018 could have created an "impression of partiality," Ms Evans conceded.

She stated: "There is nothing to suggest that the investigating officer did not conduct their duties in an impartial way.

"Unfortunately, the interactions with the complainants in advance of the complaints being made meant that the process was flawed, however impartially and fairly the investigating officer conducted the investigation."

Allegations against the former SNP leader (centre) - which he strongly denies - were made a year ago (Image: Getty Images)

Ms Evans stressed: "The Scottish Government has acted in good faith at all times and will continue to do so. It was right and proper that these complaints were investigated and I stand by the decision to carry out that investigation.

"It is also important to note that the procedural flaw in the investigation does not have implications, one way or the other, for the substance of the complaints or the credibility of the complainers. The Judicial Review was never about the substance of the complaints, but about the process that took place to investigate those complaints."

As a result she said it was open to the Scottish Government to re-investigate the complaints, adding that "subject to the views of the complainants, it would be our intention to consider this".

But Ms Evans said this would "only be once ongoing police inquiries have concluded".

Ms Evans said an internal review would be carried out by the Government, and stressed: "We shall learn and apply the lessons of this case to any future complaint addressed under our internal procedure."

She stated: "My priority remains the duty of care to my staff, including anyone in the organisation who brings forward any concerns about inappropriate conduct, regardless of the identity or seniority of the individual complained about.

"Finally I would reiterate that the single procedural flaw which led to this decision is deeply regrettable. In particular, I regret the distress it will cause to the two women who raised the complaints."

In the court, Judge Lord Pentland said the decisions in August were "unlawful in respect that they were procedurally unfair and that they were tainted with apparent bias".

The Court of Session in Edinburgh heard the person who investigated the complaints of sexual misconduct, which Mr Salmond strongly denies, had involvement with the complainers prior to being appointed investigating officer.